Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘PHALFLACAN’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘PHALFLACAN’, particularly characterized by having white dotted flowers, 1 to 3 peduncles, a peduncle that is long and moderate, leaves that are narrow oblong and moderately elongated, and is propagated by tissue culture is disclosed.

Genus and species: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘PHALFLACAN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PHALFLACAN’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 60 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivar in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 12 to 20 cm to over 60 cm. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes or panicles, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petals, called the labellum, are three-lobed and are often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow, and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plants and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘PHALFLACAN’ is particularly characterized by its attractive and unique white dotted flowers, economical propagation by tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

‘PHALFLACAN’ is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘PHALFLACAN’ originated from a cross made in June 2006 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The female parent is a white flecked Phalaenopsis pot plant named ‘12238-0001’ (unpatented), while the male parent is a pink Phalaenopsis pot plant named ‘23423-0003’ (unpatented). A single plant was selected in June 2009 and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by meristem tissue culture in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands over a 3-year period. The new variety has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Asexual reproduction of ‘PHALFLACAN’ by tissue culture was first performed in May 2012 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and has demonstrated that the new cultivar is firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in Europe on Sep. 29, 2014. ‘PHALFLACAN’ has not been made publicly available or sold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands.

-   -   1) White dotted flowers;     -   2) 1 to 3 peduncles;     -   3) Peduncle is long and moderate;     -   4) The shape of the leaf is narrow oblong and moderately         elongated; and     -   5) Plants are propagated by meristem tissue culture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Phalaenopsis plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the overall plant habit including blooms and foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of a 50-week old plant grown in a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands in March 2015.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms and foliage of ‘PHALFLACAN’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a flower of ‘PHALFLACAN’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the leaves of ‘PHALFLACAN’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘PHALFLACAN’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 50-week old plants which were planted from a nursery tray in 12 centimeter pots and grown in a greenhouse between 27° C. to 29° C. for 30 weeks, continued by a cooling period of 8 weeks between 18° C. to 20° C. and 12 weeks in a greenhouse of 21° C. Observations were made in March 2015. Color readings were taken under 4-6000 lux natural light in the greenhouse. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Orchidaceae.         -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid.         -   Common name.—Moth Orchid.         -   Variety name.—‘PHALFLACAN’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘12238-0001’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘23423-0003’             (unpatented). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Tissue culture. -   Plant:     -   -   Crop time (time to produce a finished flowering plant).—48             to 50 weeks for a 12 cm pot.         -   Growth habit of peduncle.—Standard, green leaves, raceme to             panicle.         -   Height (including pot, including inflorescence).—55.0 cm to             65.0 cm.         -   Width (measured from leaf tips).—30.0 cm to 35.0 cm.         -   Vigor.—Moderate. -   Roots:     -   -   Root description.—Greyed-green-colored roots (RHS 190B/C)             with branching lateral roots having green-brown colored root             tips (RHS 144A and 200B). -   Leaves:     -   -   Mature leaves.—Quantity per plant: 7 to 8 leaves are             produced before flowering. Length (fully expanded): 16.0 cm             to 20.0 cm. Width: 7.5 cm to 8.5 cm. Position of broadest             part of leaf: At the middle. Shape: Narrow oblong. Apex:             Unequal mucronate. Leaf blade angle with the petiole:             Between 20 degrees and 40 degrees (measured from the             horizontal position). Leaf margin: Entire. Color: Upper             surface: RHS 146A. Lower surface: RHS 146A and 187A.             Variegation: Absent. Texture (upper and lower surfaces):             Smooth. Thickness: 2.4 mm to 2.7 mm. Venation: Pattern:             Parallel. Color of the midvein: Upper surface: RHS 147A.             Lower surface: RHS 187A. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—1 to 3.         -   Number of flowers per peduncle.—12 to 16.         -   Length.—40.0 cm to 50.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—4.8 mm to 5.2 mm.         -   Strength.—Moderate.         -   Aspect.—Upright.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Green and greyed-green (RHS 146A and 197A).         -   Internode length.—30.0 mm to 40.0 mm.         -   Callosities.—None. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, raceme to panicle             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height (from base to tip): 200.0 mm to             250.0 mm. Diameter: 4.6 mm to 4.8 mm.         -   Number of inflorescences on plant.—1 to 3.         -   Flowering time.—First flowers can be expected 10 to 11             months after planting in a 12 cm pot.         -   Flower.—Height: 78.0 mm to 83.0 mm. Diameter: 90.0 mm to             95.0 mm. Depth of lip: 18.0 mm to 20.0 mm.         -   Flower longevity.—On the plant: 12 to 17 weeks.         -   Flower shape.—Convex.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Open. Shape: Semi-circular. Apex:             Emarginated and slightly asymmetric. Margin: Entire. Length             (from base to tip): 41.0 mm to 43.0 mm. Width: 45.0 mm to             47.0 mm. Position of broadest part of petal: Towards the             base. Color (when fully opened): Main color: White (RHS             155C) dotted (RHS 78A). At the base: White (RHS 155C).             Netting of the petals: None.         -   Dorsal sepal.—Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Length (from             base to tip): 44.0 mm to 46.0 mm. Width: 31.0 mm to 33.0 mm.             Position of broadest part of dorsal sepal: At the middle.             Color (when fully opened): Main color: White (RHS 155C)             dotted (RHS 78B). At the base: White (RHS 155C). Netting of             the dorsal sepal: None.         -   Lateral sepals.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Length (from             base to tip): 43.0 mm to 45.0 mm. Width: 27.0 mm to 29.0 mm.             Position of broadest part of lateral sepal: At the middle.             Color (when fully opened): Main color: White (RHS 155C)             dotted (RHS 78A). At the base: White (RHS 155C). Netting of             the lateral sepal: None.         -   Labellum (lip).—Margin: Entire. Shape: Spatulate. Length:             19.0 mm to 21.0 mm. Width: 17.0 mm to 19.0 mm. Whiskers:             Present. Length of whiskers: Medium; 8.0 mm to 10.0 mm.         -   Lateral lobe.—Shape: Type IV (as described in the             International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of             Plants (UPOV) Test Guidelines for Phalaenopsis). Color:             Red/purple (RHS 59A/78A) and slightly yellow towards the             callus (RHS 10B). Netting of the lateral lobe: None.         -   Apical lobe.—Shape: Rhombic. Length: 19.0 mm to 21.0 mm.             Width: 18.0 mm to 20.0 mm. Color: Red/purple (RHS 59A/60A)             and purple towards the whiskers (RHS 78A). Netting of the             apical lobe: None.         -   Callus.—Color: Yellow (RHS 9A) dotted (RHS 187A). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present.         -   Column.—Length: 10.0 mm to 11.0 mm. Diameter: 5.0 mm to             6.0 mm. Color: White (RHS 155C) and lilac towards the bottom             (RHS 78C).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: 2. Size: 1.2 mm to 1.3 mm. Color: Orange             (RHS 26A).         -   Ovary.—Length: 10.0 mm to 12.0 mm. Diameter: 1.9 mm to 2.1             mm.         -   Pedicel.—Length: 33.0 mm to 35.0 mm. Diameter: 2.8 mm to             3.0 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color: Green (RHS 146C) at the base             to light green (RHS 145D) towards the flower. -   Disease, pest, and stress resistance: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of 15° C. and a     high temperature about 30° C.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

‘PHALFLACAN’ differs from female parent ‘12238-0001’ (unpatented) in that ‘PHALFLACAN’ has dotted flowers, whereas ‘12238-0001’ has flecked flowers. Additionally, ‘PHALFLACAN’ has a larger flower diameter than ‘12238-0001’.

‘PHALFLACAN’ differs from male parent ‘23423-0003’ (unpatented) in that ‘PHALFLACAN’ has white dotted flowers and medium long whiskers, whereas ‘23423-0003’ has pink flowers and long whiskers. Additionally, ‘PHALFLACAN’ has a smaller flower diameter than ‘23423-0003’.

‘PHALFLACAN’ differs from commercial variety ‘PHALBORUDO’ (unpatented) in that ‘PHALFLACAN’ has medium long whiskers and an apical lobe of the lip that is darker and has red-purple color, whereas ‘PHALBORUDO’ has very short whiskers and an apical lobe of the lip that is lighter and has pink and greyed-purple color. Additionally, ‘PHALFLACAN’ has a larger flower diameter than ‘PHALBORUDO’. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsis plant named ‘PHALFLACAN’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 